Australia’s most senior Catholic has criticised
outgoing Pope Benedict XVI, saying his retirement sets a worrying
precedent, reports AAP in the Sydney Morning Herald.In his first interview since the Pope announced he would step down, Cardinal George Pell has voiced concerns about the decision.
‘‘People who, for example, might disagree with a future pope will mount a campaign to get him to resign,’’ he told the Seven Network yesterday.
Cardinal Pell described Pope Benedict as a "brilliant teacher", but noted that "government wasn’t his strongest point".
"(The new Pope has) got to
know his theology, but I think I prefer somebody who can lead the
church and pull it together a bit," he said.
Yahoo7 reports that Cardinal Pell also said in his interview that sex abuse is not the biggest problem confronting the Church.
The loss of belief and believers was the greatest challenge facing the Church, he said.
"I think [the biggest problem] is the spread of unbelief in the first world," the Cardinal said.
"I think [the biggest problem] is the spread of unbelief in the first world," the Cardinal said.